


The Muse

by sngsngsnyrslp



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: College AU, F/M, Friendship, Modern AU, Sex, relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 01:54:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sngsngsnyrslp/pseuds/sngsngsnyrslp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After breaking up with her boyfriend, aspiring writer Korra has lost her muse. Can a green-eyed stranger help inspire her? (Bolin x Korra)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Modern AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bolin and Korra meet.

            Korra took a drag of her cigarette, narrowing her eyes at the lit screen of her laptop. She hadn’t been able to write since Mako had broken up with her, and decided to return to the arms of his ex-girlfriend. That was all fine by her after she had slashed the tires on his car, but now that he was unintentionally fucking with her writing it took everything inside of her to not march to his apartment. She hadn’t planned out exactly what she would do if she got to his apartment, but that was how she did most things if she was honest with herself.

            She was an of-the-moment woman, taking each step one at a time, only knowing the direction she was heading in, but not how long it would take her to get there or even where her destination was. The same was true of her writing. She would get an idea in her head and that would drive the rest of the story, the characters driving her story forward not some plot she had mapped out in her head beforehand.

            At least that was how it had been before Mako. Her muse was gone, and all she could think to write about was an amber-eyed orphan with intense eyebrows and an ever-present scowl. The character didn’t drive the story forward and Korra spent most of her time hating his character anyway, the way he moved from girl to girl. What a stupid, incredibly unlikeable character.

            She wiped the sweat from her brow, throwing her legs onto her desk, and leaning back in the chair and dipping her head back to take another drag. It was disgustingly hot in her apartment located at the heart of Republic City, her thighs were sticking to her chair and the fan located beside her was barely doing anything to cool her overheated skin. The writer murmured underneath her breath about her hatred for summer.

            Her ears perked at the sound of someone at her front door. “Come in,” she yelled, turning her swivel chair around to face whoever she assumed she should’ve been expecting. A dark head of hair peeked through the doorway, muttering something about being here to pick up Mako’s things. The stocky young man opened the door, his eyes sweeping over the apartment before finding hers. His mouth stretched into a kind grin before it stopped midway, the box in his hands clattering as it fell, spilling what appeared to be scrunchies and random garments of her clothes onto the floor.  

            Korra furrowed her eyebrows and wondered what could’ve caused that kind of reaction. His eyes raked down her legs, bare and stretched out in front of her. Yes, maybe it was the fact that she was clad in only a pair of boyshorts and a tank top so thin that her black lacy bra was showing through.

            “Hey.”

            Green eyes shot up, finally meeting hers and he moved to the floor, picking up her scattered belongings. “Sorry, Mako sent me.”

            She nodded, her eyes moving over well-sculpted physique, his muscle tee gave her the perfect view of his muscular arms. She watched closely as his biceps flexed as he lifted the box. The green-eyed stranger almost tripped on her rug, but he caught himself, his cheeks flushing under her gaze and he set the box at her bare feet.

            Korra chuckled lightly, sending the stranger a grin. “I’m Korra by the way.” She stretched out her hand to stub out the cigarette in an ashtray.

            “Bolin,” he offered, running a hand through his hair. “Mako didn’t mention that you would be so beautiful. He could’ve warned a guy.”

            The writer blushed, turning away slightly. No one had ever called her beautiful before. Hot, of course, she had big tits, plenty of guys equated that with being hot, and sometimes even the rare ‘cute’ when she made a particularly bad joke, but never beautiful.

            He cleared his throat, glancing over at her computer screen. “So what are you up to? I-I mean if you don’t mind me asking.”

            His nervousness brought a smile to her face. “No, it’s fine. I’m a writer, so I’ve been trying to write, but I’ve kind of lost my muse.” She shut her laptop, setting it on the side table and lifting herself onto her desk and sending him her sexiest grin.

            Bolin took a deep breath, wiping his palms on his shorts. “Lost your muse, huh?”

            She nodded solemnly. “But you look like you could help me get it back.”

            His thick eyebrows furrowed. “How?”

            She crooked a finger, gesturing for him to come forward. He took a few steps forward, his eyes never wavering from hers. “Let me take a good look at you. Maybe you can inspire a handsome character in a story of mine.”

            The edge of his mouth curved upward from her compliment and he lifted his arms, flexing for her. The smile on her face spread and she giggled at his blatant attempt to impress her. Although she appreciated the male specimen, especially one so well put together as Bolin, he wasn’t her usual type. She’d always preferred her beaus a bit thinner with lean muscles, but the green-eyed man seemed to be changing her tastes quickly.

            Green eyes stared at her face while hers raked over his body, actually attempting to create a character out of the person standing in front of her. It was obvious he took care of his body; you weren’t just blessed with bulging muscles like that. She liked the juxtaposition of his manly body and his boyish face.

            “Do your thing. Write about me, but do it out loud so I can hear.”

            She chuckled, “Alright, if you insist.” Korra took a deep breath, taking in the eager look on his face before starting. “He wondered if she greeted all her guests in her underwear or if he was special. The shock had sent the box in his hands tumbling to the ground, and he hoped he didn’t look like too much of a fool scrambling to shove her things back into the box, while his knees scraped against the rough rug. The only situation getting rug-burn on his knees would be worth it included his head between her thighs and he doubted she’d be into that after he tripped on said rug, not to mention right after he’d already made a fool of himself with that damn box.” The writer flashed him a smug grin, hoping he wouldn’t be too taken aback by her description of him. If she was honest with herself, she was hoping it would push things forward between them.

            The muse had taken a step forward, now only one step from being between her thighs. “So am I?”

            She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Are you what?”

            “Am I special?” He set his hands on top of the desk on either side of her, heat radiating off of his broad chest.

            “Yes and no. Anyone could’ve walked in and seen me in my underwear, but not just anyone gets to be my muse.”

            “Your muse, eh?” Steadily, he was leaning into her, his chest now just brushing against hers. “How exactly does that work?”           

            She lifted her head, her eyes focusing in on his plush lips before lazily dragging up his features to make contact with those green eyes, she’d never seen a green so bright outside of produce and plant life. It was unnatural, but so beautiful to stare into. She whispered, “all you have to do is inspire me,” despite the fact that he already had, with his boyish clumsiness and his strong arms caging her in.

            Bolin pressed forward, his lips finding hers as his arms wrapped around her torso curving upward to settle on the back of her neck, the action tugged her tank top higher up her back. His other arm was wrapped around her hips, and his fingers sliding over her newly uncovered skin. His hands were both gentle and demanding, his hands finding a way to slide across her skin with the tenderness of a seasoned lover without losing the exploratory touch of a virgin.

            Korra’s hands found their way underneath his shirt, her fingers dipping into each dent on his abdomen, she considered breaking the kiss to press her lips to the skin her hands couldn’t stray from, but his tongue had just found its way into her mouth and things were just starting to progress.

            The muse was the first to break away, his chest rising and falling as he drew his shirt over his head and tossed it onto her couch. Korra raked her fingernails down his chest, her fingers running through the wisps of hair on his chest, She grinned to herself when Bolin dropped his head to her shoulder, a groan falling from his lips as she undid the button on his shorts. She let herself moan when Bolin started kissing her neck, finding the most sensitive part of her neck, where the curve of her jaw met her neck. His lips stayed there, his tongue dipping out to taste the salty skin. The writer pushed his shorts down his legs, forcing her eyes open to look down at the hard length causing a tent in his cartoon-covered boxers. She slowly brought her hand down the front of his boxers, her fingers curling through the coarse hair until her fingers wrapped around his length. He sucked in a breath, letting his hands fist the material of her shirt and then tug it over her arms and head.

            He kissed her again, swiping his tongue on the inside of her mouth. His hands moved down her back, finding her bra clasp and undoing it, running his hands down her bare back. Bolin pushed her bra straps down her arms until they settled at her elbows and Korra took the job at that point, her bra finding its way onto the floor.

            Her muse stepped out of his shorts, bringing her legs over his hips, bringing their torsos and nether regions flush against each other. Korra groaned, feeling his dick press against her core, realizing only two layers were between them so she grinded her hips against his length. They broke apart, groaning simultaneously at the contact.

            Bolin fell to his knees, his hands sliding down her torso to hook into the edges of her panties, dragging them down her legs until he dropped them at her feet. His green eyes shined as he grinned up at her. Heavily calloused hands dragged up her legs, over her inner thighs and pushed her legs apart, exposing her to him. From her perspective all she could see was a dark head of hair between her legs.

            “Is this what you were imagining?”

            She ran her hand through his hair, “I was imagining a lot less talking and a lot more action going on though.”

            Korra closed her eyes and let herself relax under his touch. Both of his hands were holding her hips, which she was thankful for, she had a habit of bucking her hips when things got intense.

            He dragged his tongue down her slit, slowly bringing it back up until it made contact with her clit. She tightened her grip on his hair, pressing him into her roughly. Green eyes looked up at her, his tongue continuing to move as he watched her reaction. She was incredibly receptive, her eyes shut painfully tight while her nails ran roughly along his scalp and she looked like she was on her way to reaching her peak. He pulled away, wiping his mouth with his forearm and standing up. He grinned at the sight of her pouting mouth before he kissed her, his hands cradling her face.

            She pulled away from him, her hand pumping his length, “My room, now.”

            He lifted her, his hands cupping her full bottom as he walked the couple toward the open door on the other side of the room. She pressed her lips to his collarbones, letting her teeth scrape over the thinly covered bones. He set her down gently onto the bed, crawling over her. Korra could feel his eyes following the curves of her body. He hovered over her without touching her.

            He placed his hand on her waist, his thumb rubbing into her skin. Bolin lay beside her, his hand sweeping over her skin and he leaned into her, kissing the edge of her shoulder. The hand moved upward, finally cupping her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple.

            Through her periphery, Korra glanced at him, turning onto her side to face him. “Reach into the nightstand.”

            Bolin rolled over, pulling open her nightstand drawer and pulling out a single condom. With his teeth, he ripped the package open, rolling the condom onto his length. Korra straddled his thighs, pushing Bolin onto his back. He led himself into her, letting out a growl when she situated herself onto him. Several deep breaths later shared between the couple, Korra had adjusted enough to him to move. Bolin kept his hands on her hips, leading her movements up and down his length, moving into her as she moved down onto him.

            She dipped her torso down, arching her back from the increasing ferocity of his movements. Her lips found his, her tongue moving against his, until he hit her favored spot. Korra gasped, pressing her forehead to his shoulder and releasing a high-pitched moan.

            Bolin laughed at the sound, his thrusts faltering for a few moments. “What was that?”

            The same sound fell from her lips and she bit him on the shoulder annoyed at his teasing. “Shut up.”

            He flipped them over, so that he was hovering over her while she was now on her back. His hips continued to keep rhythm, the rhythm steadily increasing with each thrust. By the third time the high-pitched moan fell from her lips she was done, her nails raking down his back, breaking skin.

            The pain forced a grunt from Bolin’s lips. He quickened his thrusts, his arm finding its way around her, pulling her against his chest.

            His thrusts staggered and he paused, trembling over her before collapsing beside her.

            Korra adjusted herself so her head lay on his chest.

            “Mako is going to kill me.”

            The writer glanced up, bringing her leg over his. “Why?”

            He glanced down at her. “I just fucked his ex-girlfriend.” He repeated the sentence over again this time with the addition of one important detail. “I just fucked my brother’s ex-girlfriend.”

            Korra’s eyes widened, “Wait, what?”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako finds out.

 

            Mako was never one for parties, especially the ones thrown students from Asami’s (and Korra’s) university. He’d never been one for drinking to the point of vomiting on himself, though he did indulge every now and then, but never to that point. Asami led him through the crowd, grinning and waving at the sorority sisters while they made their way toward the keg. A red solo cup was thrust into his hand and a poor excuse for beer filled the cup. She re-linked their fingers, her green eyes scanning the crowd for familiar faces.

            “Isn’t that your brother?”

            He turned his head in the direction Asami pointed, the far-off corner of the room. The back of his head was the only thing Mako could see, it was the familiar dark-haired loose curls his brother sported, but he couldn’t make out any of his brother’s distinctive facial features from this distance and with the thickness of the crowd obscuring his view.

            Asami took it upon herself to drag them through the crowd toward his maybe brother. They stopped a few feet away from his brother.

            His brother was with a girl and not just with a girl, but _with_ her. He had her against the wall, his arms on either side of the much shorter girl’s head. Their bodies were moving against each other to the beat of the music.

            Bolin’s hips moved forward, and he noticed the girl’s fingers were curled into the belt loops of his brother’s shorts, with their hips flush against each other. Bolin bent down to say something into her ear before his lips swiped over hers in a quick peck. He could have spotted his brother’s grin anywhere.

            Mako tried to move to make out the girl’s face, but Bolin’s thick arm was blocking his view. Suddenly, his brother dipped down, grabbing the girl around her thighs and throwing her over his shoulder too quickly for Mako to get a peek at her face. All he could see was her lower half draped over his younger brother’s chest, but that was enough. His heart stopped. He knew that figure, that deep caramel skin tone, and those ripped pair of black shorts.

            “Oh Shit! Hey Mako.” His brother’s voice wavered, his arm tightening around the girl’s thighs, his hand sheepishly sliding away from her ass. He had the same look on his face as the cat who ate the canary.

            Mako was staring at his pale hands over the girl’s bare skin. This felt like a nightmare, like maybe he was stuck in an alternate universe where his brother ended up with all of the girls he had ever loved. “Bolin,” he started, trying his best to not make a scene in the middle of a frat party, trying not to let them know the way this was affecting him. “What the fuck are you doing here with my ex-girlfriend?”

            Asami gasped beside him, her grip tightening on his hand. He faltered for a second, unsure whether or not she was reassuring him or reminding him that she was there, that he was dating her now and that it shouldn’t be that big of a deal that Bolin was here with Korra. But for some unexplainable reason it was. He felt betrayed, his heart was thumping too hard against his ribcage, and he didn’t know who was to blame.

            Bolin was frozen, his mouth opening and closing as if he rejected any possible responses to his older brother’s question. He instead temporarily avoided the question and set Korra back on the ground, his hands lingering on her hips, their eyes meeting, sharing unspoken words before she turned toward them. Their linked fingers were not overlooked by Mako, his eyes focusing on the familiar contrasting skin tones.

            “We met when I delivered her things,” Bolin squeaked out.

            “And now you’re together?” Bolin had dropped his things off at Korra’s over a month ago. They had been hiding their relationship from him for weeks. Every time he asked Bolin where he was headed and he replied with the most vague answer possible, he must have been with Korra. The thoughts made his stomach knot and his insides twist from the sudden onslaught of emotions. He narrowed his eyes at their joined hands before turning away. “I gotta get out of here,” he murmured to Asami before making his way out of the cramped room.

            Asami blinked at them for a few moments before turning to follow Mako out.

xx

           

            Bolin sighed, pulling Korra into him and lowering his forehead onto her shoulder. She felt his hot breath against her skin. Korra couldn’t help but be glad for his reaction even if these were bad circumstances. The pessimistic side of her had assumed he would walk out on her in favor of his brother and no matter how much it hurt; she would understand that. Mako was his brother. They had been bounced around foster home to foster home with nothing but each other to rely on.

            He pulled away, slowly sliding his lips over hers before pressing a kiss to her cheek. “It’s going to take some time, but I know he’ll come around Korra. I mean, he just has to doesn’t he?”

            Korra said nothing, her blue eyes finding his, but her mouth stayed shut. She wasn’t exactly sure that Mako would come around.

            “He’s always wanted me to be happy and you make me so happy, Kor. He’ll see how much I care about you and that you care about me too. It’s not about getting back at him like he thinks. Once he knows that then he’ll have to accept it, okay?”

            Korra nodded, though she had less faith that Mako would eventually accept their relationship with time, if ever. They hadn’t exactly parted on friendly terms. The highlights of their failed relationship were angry words and clenched fists. They seemed to always be fighting. It didn’t help that he was still half in-love with his ex-girlfriend the entire time.

            Bolin kissed the space between her furrowed eyebrows, cradling her face in his hands. “You just have to trust that everything will work out, Korra. I know him.”

            She nodded, not entirely sure, but there was no use. Only time would tell. A sigh fell from her lips. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

            The green-eyed man smiled at her, grabbing her hand. “Let’s just dance for a little bit. There’s no use ruining our night.”

            She didn’t answer either way, but allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor, moving her hips to the rhythm. Maybe it would help to get her mind off of things.

            He pressed his lips against her neck, holding her body close to his as his arms wrapped around her. “Stop worrying,” he murmured into her skin, his lips brushing against her skin with every syllable. “Mako’s never stayed mad at me for longer than a week.”

            Korra tried not to remind him that he wasn’t the only one in this relationship and that Mako had definitely stayed mad at her longer than a week. He’d been so mad at her that he’d broken up with her, preferring to never see her again than attempt to fix things.

            She danced with Bolin for a handful of songs before announcing to him that she needed a drink and a smoke.  

            This was all too much for the writer and there was no way she would be able to face Mako again without a few drinks in her system. She was a writer; she preferred to write dramatics into the lives of her characters not live them herself.

            She grabbed a cup of jungle juice and headed outside for a smoke. Korra took a deep breath of the muggy air. Summers in Republic City were humid, but the air felt cool in comparison to her hot skin. It was about twenty degrees hotter inside. There were way too many bodies in that frat house, their body temperatures high from the heat, the alcohol, and the dancing. Her finger slid across her forearm, the skin felt sticky underneath her fingertips.

            She pulled the pack from her back pocket, sliding a lone cigarette out as well as her lighter, which was lodged alongside them. With the cigarette between her lips she brought the flame of the lighter toward the end, inhaling and blowing the first stream of smoke from her lips, sliding the lighter into her front pocket. Korra stepped forward leaning onto the front porch’s railing, staring out into the darkness. She was surprised there weren’t more people out here, desperate for some fresh air. They must be packed at the back porch.

            “Oh, jussst my luck, it’s you.” Korra turned to face the slurred voice, her eyes finding Mako’s in the dim lighting. He sat on a folding chair, his back to the brick wall. His eyes were trained on hers, only looking away from her to take a drink from the red solo cup in his hands.

            “Are you drunk?”

            Mako scoffed, taking another drink from his cup. “This is all your fault.” Korra opened her mouth to contest that statement, but was interrupted. “Ssami’s mad at me because of you,” he lazily raised his finger at her. “You-Why do you always make me miserable?”

            Korra stepped back, his words stinging like a slap to the face. She took another drag, hoping to hide the shock and hurt the words he said had on her features. She looked to the darkened sky, praying that he would stop talking. She’d rather they stand in silence until she finished her cigarette and could re-enter the frat house.

            “I was happy with ‘ssami until you came around and you ruined everything. You ruin everything and now you’re ruining Bo.” He paused to take another drink, his eyes closing slowly and opening at the same rate. “He’s my little brother. What are you doing with my little brother?”

            She stubbed out her cigarette, deciding it wasn’t worth the cost of one cigarette to face Mako when he was drunk and upset.

            “Hey! I asked you a question!”

            Korra tensed, she had been hoping he would just let her get the fuck out of there without another word sent her way. “What do you want me to say, Mako?”

            “The truth. Jus’ the truth.”

            “We’re together. I like him. He makes me happy and he makes me laugh.”

            He cringed at her words, his mouth twisting and his eyes narrowing. “So I wasn’t funny enough for you? I didn’t make you happy?”

            She closed her eyes, sighing and slapping herself on the forehead for not just ignoring him and going back inside like she should have.

            “I don’t understand you. Are you upset with me because I’m dating Bolin or upset with Bolin because he’s dating me?”

            Mako shook his head, closing his eyes tight and roughly running a hand through his hair. “I don’t fucking know, Korra, and that’s what’s fucking with me. Bolin’s my brother, so he should have known you were off limits. Why didn’t he know that? A-And you, he’s my little fucking brother!”

            Korra’s hands fell onto her hips. “Are you kidding me? You never even told me your brother’s name, just that he was studying in Ba Sing Se. I was supposed to see the family resemblance?”

            He stood up, balancing himself with one hand propped against the brick wall beside him. “He looks just like me!”

            She scoffed, rolling her eyes at her inebriated ex. “You guys have the same skin tone and the same dark hair. That’s it. So does Asami, and you sure as hell aren’t related to her.” This was absolutely ridiculous to the blue-eyed young woman. Why was she standing outside letting a drunk Mako get to her when she could be inside a hot frat party that smelled of sweat, drinking and dancing with her amazing boyfriend? “I’m going inside.”

            “Does Bolin know how many notches are on your bedpost?”

            She whipped around, her hand falling away from the screen door.

            “And how you just open your legs for everyone?”

            Her tanned hands balled into fists at her side. “I don’t understand what you expected from me, Mako? Did you think I was going to save myself in hopes that eventually I would meet someone like you?” She stepped toward him. “And you didn’t seem to have any problem with what’s between my legs when we were dating. You couldn’t get enough of it then!” Korra stepped down the front steps. Her sinuses were aching as she yelled and she knew that with enough time she would start crying. Mako knew how to push her buttons. He’s always knew how to want to tear her hair out so badly that she couldn’t help but release those frustrations through tears. “And Bolin knows and he’s definitely not a dickhead about it like you were.”

            The front door opened, the front door slamming shut behind the person, but Korra had turned away, hoping to hide the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

            “Korra?”

            “Hey Bolin. I think I’m going to go home, I just don’t feel too good.”

            Bolin moved toward her, taking her hands in his. “What’s wrong?”           

            “Nothing. I just want to go home is all. It’s too hot in there.”

            “Have you been crying? I mean you look like you want to cry. Is everything okay?”

            She shook her head, wanting to fall into his sturdy and well-built arms, but not wanting to show weakness in front of Mako. Every thing would be fine as soon as she got away from him.            

            “I’m fine, honest.”

            He nodded, taking his head in her hands and pressing a slow kiss to her lips. “I can come home with you if you want.”

            “I think you need to take care of your brother,” she gestured toward the slumped over body on the porch.

            His green eyes widened for a moment, before turning toward her. “What did he say to you?”

            “Nothing, nothing. I’m gonna go,” she pecked his lips. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

            Bolin was reluctant to let go of her hands and even more apprehensive about letting her go home by herself when she was obviously upset over something his brother had said to her.

            Bolin climbed the steps wrapped his brother’s arm around his shoulder carrying him down the steps. Mako grunted, pushing his brother away to attempt to walk on his own. “You broke the bro code,” he slurred.

            The younger brother attempted to grab him again, seeing how unsteady he was simply standing on his own two feet, but Mako stepped out of his reach, falling to the ground. “She was mine. I loved her first.” He ignored his brother’s comment, bending down to grab his brother again. All Bolin wanted to do was get his brother home and call Korra to make sure she got home okay, but his brother was making sure to drag their trek home out for as long as possible.

            “Let’s go, Mako.”

            The amber-eyed young man shook his head. “She’s had sex with seven guys. Did she tell you that?”

            Bolin looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. “Eight. She’s had eight partners.”

            Mako scoffed, realizing why the number was suddenly one-person higher.

            “Did she just invite you in for a fuck when you were picking up my shit or what?”

            If Mako hadn’t already been on the ground Bolin would have surely pushed him onto it for that comment. “For your fucking information Mako, I kissed Korra first so you should be mad at me. I knew she was your ex-girlfriend and I still did what I did. I wanted her the moment I set eyes on her. I knew she was special and unlike you, I wasn’t going to let her get away. Alright? Are we done with this shit for tonight?”

            Bolin watched as his brother struggled to stand before pulling him to his feet.            

            The walk home was silent, neither brother willing to break the silence with forced small talk or false apologies.            


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako wakes up with only a hazy recollection of what happened the night before and much to his dismay he runs into Korra.

            Mako woke to blinding rays of sun in his eyes and his brother’s loud punk rock in his ears. He blinked, rushing to shield his hand over his sensitive eyes. His head throbbed, his vision going in and out of focus. Why was he on the couch? What had happened last night? And what could cause his brother to be so ticked off at him so early in the morning? Since Mako waking up with a hangover seldom occurred, Bolin had always been attune to his brother’s unfamiliarity with the horrible feeling, setting a glass of water and aspirin at his bedside, keeping quite well into the afternoon to make sure his older brother wasn’t disturbed.

            Bits and pieces of scenes flashed through his mind, Korra smoking a cigarette, Asami’s disappointed green eyes and Bolin carrying him through the streets.

            This was the exact reason why Mako rarely drank in excess.

            Bolin stomped through their small apartment, cabinets slamming shut and pots and pans pounding loudly against each other before his younger brother appeared. His younger brother’s kind eyes were narrowed to slits, his comically thick eyebrows pinched together.

            “Bro, what the fuck? Do you have to be that loud? What’s your problem?”

            “My problem is that you ruined everyone’s night yesterday. It’s enough to ruin my day, fine okay. It wouldn’t be the first time, but Asami and Korra’s too? Now Korra won’t respond to my calls or texts and Asami, I don’t know what the fuck you said to her, but she high-tailed it right out of there not too soon after you find out about me and Korra.”

            The memories rushed to Mako, seeing his kid brother’s hands all over his ex-girlfriend and fighting with Asami right before stealing a bottle of Jack from Tahno and spending the rest of the night drinking outside by himself, and a few smokers, who escaped the party for their fix of nicotine. He kept to himself in the corner, until Korra came out, the hairs that were too short to tie up into her ponytail were sticking to the back of her neck, her chest rising and falling quickly. He assumed she had probably been dancing, dancing with his little brother and the thought had made him sick. She made him sick. That was when he started talking to her, effectively ruining her evening and apparently Bolin’s as well in the process.

            “Well what did you expect? She was my girlfriend, Bolin. Did you just want me to greet you guys with open arms?” he groaned, sitting up and immediately clutching at his head. His younger brother was an optimist, but even he couldn’t be so naïve to think that Mako wouldn’t be enraged by their relationship, or whatever the fuck it was.

            Bolin scoffed at his older brother’s comments. “You’re like a fucking little kid wanting his toy back when he sees someone else playing with it.” Bolin slipped his shoes on, “Whatever, I’m taking the car,” he grabbed the keys and made sure to slam the door on his way out.

            Mako clutched at his hair, exclaiming several expletives.

            He dragged himself off the couch and into his bedroom in desperate need of several more hours of sleep.

            xxx           

            It was well into the late afternoon when Mako decided to head to the gym. The hole-in-the-wall gym was his favorite place to go when his aggressions were abnormally high and his grip on his emotions was starting to slip. Toza’s was his safe haven, his home away from home.

            He entered, his grip tightening on his gym bag as he walked to the far side of the gym where the locker rooms were located, praying to every spirit that would listen that he wouldn’t run into Korra. Anything but that, there was no way he would be able to go toe to toe with her when he was nursing a hangover.

            Mako’s prayers went unanswered. There she was, a hunched figure at the corner of the gym, bending over to write on her knee. He recognized the notebook, the one she took wherever she went, scribbles of half-written one-liners, storylines for potential short stories, and prospective dialogue. The navy blue palm-sized notebook was falling apart, weathered with pages falling out, only held together by a rubber band. She must have been struck by a sudden bout of inspiration.

            He moved silently, hoping not to run into anyone who would make his presence obvious. Although he loved most of the members of Toza’s gym, most of them were loud and obnoxious. All he wanted was to get changed and head toward the opposite corner of the gym to be as far away from Korra as possible.

            As was the norm, the locker room smelled of bleach and the faint scent of sweat. He folded his street clothes and set them inside his gym bag, changing into his gym clothes, he kept his eyes to his feet, trying his best not to catch sight of the rest of the locker room. It held too many memories. His relationship with Korra was punching him right in the face. For spirit’s sake, the first time he ever met her was when he accidentally walked in on her changing, the tanned writer had mistakenly walked into the men’s locker room instead of the women’s. He remembered being captivated by her tanned back, her muscles moving with each movement, his amber eyes catching the edges of her round breasts. She’d slid her sports bra on, turning around and meeting his eyes.

            “Are you supposed to be in here?” He was immediately taken by her blue eyes, which shone so brightly against her tanned complexion. She was beautiful.

            He coughed, hoping the blush coloring his cheeks would fade soon. “This is the men’s locker room. The women’s is next door.”

            She shrugged her shoulders, grabbing her things. “My bad. Thanks for the info, City Boy.”           

            Mako couldn’t help himself from watching her exit, her feet were wrapped and the edge of what he assumed were the wraps she used for her hands were trailing across the floor, a deep navy sliding across the off-white tiles.

            Even as he entered Toza’s he couldn’t help but recall his first kiss with Korra, her small hands gripping the lapels of his jacket and her lips firmly pressed against his. It hadn’t mattered that he was with Asami then because all he could taste was Korra and for the few days after she was all he could think about.

            But everything was different now. She wasn’t slyly sliding past him, a sensual murmur of her favored nickname for him in his ear. Korra was kissing his brother, his hands sliding over her well-toned body. Bolin was the one she was sharing the contents of the navy notebook with, probably taking notes on his peculiarities for a future protagonist. He’d never thought he’d be jealous, feel the drop in his stomach at the sight of them but it happened.

            Maybe Bolin was right; maybe he was just a kid who wanted his abandoned toy back.

            He shut his locker, making sure to lock his few materials up. He didn’t need the phone he had spent so many painstaking hours saving up for being stolen. Mako kept up the hope that Korra wouldn’t notice him if he walked straight toward the weight lifting area and didn’t bring any attention to himself.

            There weren’t many details he could remember about his conversation with Korra, but if he had made her upset enough to avoid Bolin’s calls and stick to the gym then there must have delivered some low blows. It wasn’t something he was proud of, but he knew how he could be when he was upset. Korra had always been the same way. When two heated people collided there was bound to be some awful things said. The situation was only made worse by her newfound relationship with his younger brother and his alcohol-infused mind.

            Mako approached the weights, keeping Korra’s figure in the corner of his vision at all times in case he had to make an escape. She was at a bag, alternating between kicking and punching, always keeping herself light on her toes, her muscles sliding underneath her sun-kissed skin.

            He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to shake her away from his thoughts so he could concentrate on his lifting. That was what he was here for, not to stare at his ex-girlfriend, but to get his mind off of her and the rest of the problems her relationship with Bolin had caused him.

            xx

            After doing several reps of bicep curls, Mako looked back toward the back corner of the gym, searching for tanned skin and a navy blue sports bra, only to find the space filled by someone else. Quickly, he scanned the room, but she was nowhere in sight.

            He sighed, setting down the weights and looking around the gym. There was no way she could have gotten out without him noticing. He’d been keeping her in his periphery the entire time, or at least he thought that’s what he had been doing, but Korra was quick and his hungover brain had a hard time multitasking. He wiped down the back of his neck with a fresh towel, walking slowly toward the locker room, still attempting to not bring attention to himself just in case Korra was lurking in a corner waiting to pounce on him.

            There were no Korra sightings when he walked toward the locker room and after he had grabbed his gym bag there wasn’t one. Korra had a habit of catching him when he was off guard.

            Her figure was unmistakable leaning against the wall immediately outside of Toza’s. Smoke falling from her mouth and her eyes half-lidded. One foot was propped on the brick wall, her toned legs on perfect display in the tight shorts she was sporting.

            Mako couldn’t stop himself from stopping, his body freezing at the mere sight of her. This was the moment when she would yell at him, metaphorically tear him a new one and he would just have to stand and take it because he deserved it. Korra wasn’t an easy person to make cry, but he had somehow managed.

            Blue eyes fluttered open to meet his, her voice and breath simultaneously catching in her throat. She could only choke out his name.

            He responded with her name and the pair was left staring at each other, blue eyes boring into amber ones and vise versa. “How’s Bolin?” His brother’s name in that context left a bad taste in his mouth, but he needed to know if she had finally given up her temporary silence and spoken to him.

            “You should know, don’t you live with him?”

            Mako rolled his eyes. “He’s pissed as hell at me, but-whatever. I don’t even give a fuck. It’d be karma if your relationship just up and failed anyway.”

            The edge of Korra’s mouth curled, “Karma. What did we do? I’d really like to hear a sober Mako tell this story.”

            “You fucked my brother-“

            She tipped her cigarette toward him, “but I didn’t know he was your brother. If anything I just thought he was your friend, who’d you never mentioned and I’d never met, so how good of a friend could he have been from my point of view anyway.”

            “Well Bolin should’ve known better than. He’s my brother and you were my girlfriend.”

            Korra nodded, mulling over his words in her mind. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

            They stood in silence, both going over the words they had just shared.

            Mako broke the silence. “I don’t remember what I said to you last night.”

            Korra took a long drag of her cigarette, allowing the smoke to stay in her mouth and throat longer than usual before exhaling, the cloud of smoke sliding from her lips. “You said a lot of things.”

            Mako scratched the back of his neck. He’d never been one for confrontations. He never knew what to say or how to say it. Talking in general didn’t come very easily for him. “If I said anything that crossed the line just know I didn’t mean it.”

            The brunette scoffed, tapping the bottom of her cigarette, the edge of ash to fall onto the sidewalk. “I’d say I believed you just to so this whole thing that’s happening between us right now could finish, but I’d be lying and you know my stance on lying.”

            “If it helps I don’t even remember what I said, Korra. I was drunk, really fucking wasted.”

            She stubbed her cigarette into the brick wall, tossing it in a nearby trashcan. “You know I spent all day going over what you said and I honestly believed that I wanted an apology from you, but I don’t.” She grabbed her discarded gym bag from the sidewalk and threw it over her shoulder. “I think I always knew that’s how you felt. It shouldn’t have surprised me the way it did.” Korra waved her fingers at him before making her way down the street.

            Mako stared at her departing figure and watched as it got smaller and smaller as she walked further away from him. Emotions stormed within his chest and continued to be at a loss to how to fully acknowledge what he was feeling. He couldn’t help the way his chest tightened and his stomach dropped at the thought of Korra with Bolin. He prayed that one day it would. 


End file.
